Facing widespread protests and opposition criticism, the Centre has removed the chief of the National Testing Agency (NTA) amid allegations of irregularities in NEET-UG and the cancellation of the UGC-NET Exam. On Saturday, the Ministry of Personnel announced that Subodh Kumar Singh has been replaced by retired IAS officer Pradeep Singh Kharola. Kharola, who is also the Chairman and Managing Director of the India Trade Promotion Organisation, will serve as the NTA’s director general until a permanent replacement is appointed.
This decision follows the government’s formation of a committee to recommend improvements for the NTA and comes just before around 1,500 students who received grace marks for NEET-UG are set to retake the exam. The CSIR UGC NET exam, initially scheduled for June 25-27, was postponed due to logistical issues, and the NEET-PG exam, planned for Sunday, was rescheduled on Saturday.
In a day of rapid developments, the government handed over the investigation into alleged NEET-UG exam irregularities, including paper leaks, to the CBI. The CBI is also investigating the leaks that led to the UGC NET exam’s cancellation. Sources told NDTV that repeated exam leaks and student dissatisfaction, coupled with opposition pressure and critical Supreme Court remarks, contributed to Singh’s removal. Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan has previously indicated an overhaul of the NTA, supported by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in a recent Cabinet meeting.
The government’s priority is to resolve the alleged paper leaks and hold those responsible accountable. This is crucial as the NTA conducts major exams like NEET and JEE, affecting millions of students. The Supreme Court is set to hear related petitions on July 8.
On Saturday, the government also set up a seven-member committee to improve NTA operations. The committee, led by former ISRO chief Dr. K Radhakrishnan and including former AIIMS director Dr. Randeep Guleria, marks the first step in enhancing the examination process’s efficiency and security. Minister Pradhan emphasized the government’s commitment to transparent and error-free exams on X (formerly Twitter).
The NEET-UG 2024, held on May 5, saw nearly 2.4 million participants. Results announced on June 4, earlier than scheduled, sparked protests due to allegations of leaks and grace marks. Legal cases followed, with the Supreme Court criticizing the NTA. The Education Ministry canceled the UGC-NET exam on Wednesday after cybercrime alerts about questions on the darknet. Similar issues postponed the CSIR UGC NET and NEET PG exams.
The INDIA alliance, which recently secured 232 Lok Sabha seats, has been vocal against the Centre on this issue. Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra criticized the BJP government on X, calling the NTA a “No Trust Agency” and demanding accountability.
The controversy is expected to be a significant topic in Parliament as the first session of the 18th Lok Sabha begins on Monday.
